NEW YORK – The usual Achilles' heel got to Masahiro Tanaka once again.

The home run ball ruined his night and ended the Yankees' four-game winning streak with a thud.

The latest damage came from Texas rookie Ronald Guzman.

Tanaka (9-3, 4.08 ERA) gave up two of Guzman's career-high three home runs and served up another shot to Adrian Beltre in a 12-7 loss to the Rangers on Friday night. He put the Yankees in an early hole and saw his 96th and final pitch of the night --to Guzman -- land somewhere over the bullpen in right center. After five-plus innings, he was charged with six earned runs and picked up his first loss since mid-April.

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New York Yankees starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka walks off the field at the end of the top of the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Friday, Aug. 10, 2018, in New York. Julie Jacobson, AP

New York Yankees starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka walks off the field at the end of the top of the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Friday, Aug. 10, 2018, in New York. Julie Jacobson, AP

Texas Rangers' Adrian Beltre, right, is congratulated by Elvis Andrus (1) after hitting a two-run home run against the New York Yankees during the fourth inning of a baseball game Friday, Aug. 10, 2018, in New York. Julie Jacobson, AP

New York Yankees center fielder Shane Robinson can't make the catch on a solo home run hit by Texas Rangers' Ronald Guzman during the fourth inning of a baseball game Friday, Aug. 10, 2018, in New York. Julie Jacobson, AP

Yankees left fielder Brett Gardner (11) is congratulated by catcher Austin Romine (28) after hitting a solo home run against the Texas Rangers during the fifth inning at Yankee Stadium. Andy Marlin, Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports

Texas Rangers' Ronald Guzman reacts as he crosses the plate after hitting a solo home run against the New York Yankees during the fourth inning of a baseball game Friday, Aug. 10, 2018, in New York. Julie Jacobson, AP

Texas Rangers' Rougned Odor, center, is caught in a rundown as New York Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius, right, throws to second baseman Gleyber Torres (25) during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Friday, Aug. 10, 2018, in New York. Gregorius made an error on the throw and Odor advanced to second base on the play. Julie Jacobson, AP

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"[There wasn't] the real good command and feel of all his pitches like we've really seen for the better part of the month," manager Aaron Boone said. "It's a hot offense over there where if you're really not on top of it, they can make you pay."

The bad outing was a complete 180 for Tanaka.

He dominated in his first three starts after the All-Star break and showed flashes of the ace he once was. But he was outmatched by Guzman, who blasted home runs in the fourth and the sixth, before taking A.J. Cole deep in the seventh. The Rangers' first baseman has six of his 12 long balls this season against the Yankees.

Without command of his split, Tanaka finished the night with 22 home runs allowed this year, ranking in the top 10 across the league.

"It's not there all the time," Tanaka said through a translator. "That's part of it. I feel like I've done a pretty good job recently that even if I don't have my split, I'm able to grind my way through with minimal damage. Today that wasn't the case."

New York Yankees' Brett Gardner reacts after striking out swinging during the eighth inning of the team's baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Friday, Aug. 10, 2018, in New York.(Photo: Julie Jacobson, AP)

Brett Gardner put the Yankees on the board with a solo shot in the fifth and Austin Romine got his seventh of the year later in the night.

Luke Voit also picked up his first RBI as a Yankee when he singled home Didi Gregorius and Miguel Andujar in the sixth.

Romine drove in another two runs with a single to right in the eighth.

"I felt like we got some guys on base and tried to get back in the game a couple of times," Gardner said. "Every time it seemed like we were getting close, they just pulled away a little more. It's just a game we need to try to forget about."

Yankees address closer issues

The first sign of trouble came against the Mets.

Then came more problems in Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium.

Aroldis Chapman simply hasn't been his usual flamethrowing self over the last few weeks.

The Yankee closer has given up six runs (five earned) in his first five innings since the All-Star break, despite having a near-flawless first half. He avoided a major meltdown on Thursday, but a shaky ninth and some lower-than-usual velocity in that win became a cause for concern.

"I think he is good," Boone said. "He's just going through a little patch right now where I think in a given year, you pretty much see every closer go through one. Health-wise, I think he's good. I think the knee is better than it's been in a while. You just got to work through it with him."

New York Yankees relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman delivers against the Texas Rangers during the ninth inning of a baseball game, Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, in New York.(Photo: Julie Jacobson, AP)

Chapman has been untouchable for most of the season. He has a 2.20 ERA and an impressive 81 K's in 45 innings. But he looked vulnerable in his first appearance after the All-Star break, walking three Mets and getting pulled for Chasen Schreve. Three more free passes during Sunday's loss in Boston led to Chapman's first blown save in about two months.

Control was Chapman's issue again on Thursday when he threw 12 strikes in 24 pitches.

"There's nothing I can do to [fix my command]," Chapman said, through a translator. "It's not exactly one thing. It hasn't been there, but that doesn't mean that it's not going to be there."

Perhaps most concerning was Chapman's velocity.

On Thursday, his fastball was clocked mostly in the 95 to 97 mph range. And he strayed away from his four-seamer later in the inning.

Chapman has battled through some left knee tendinitis at times this season and chose to get some rest rather than pitch in this summer's All-Star Game in Washington. But Chapman said Friday afternoon that his knee isn't bothering him and Boone reiterated that he doesn't feel like there's an injury concern.

'"I think that's mechanical," Boone said. "The thing about Chappy is he's so mechanically freakish in the way he's able to generate the kind of velocity that he does. I think he's fighting that a little bit so he's not getting that kinetic chain perfectly in sync that allows him to have that velocity."

Though Chapman has only pitched in six games since July 14, he said rust has not been an issue.

The Yankees certainly have alternatives to close in Britton, David Robertson and Dellin Betances should trouble continue, but whether a switch is necessary remains to be seen.

"You can't over-complicate things with watching a lot of videos or lot of stuff," Chapman said, when asked how to get out of a funk. "You want to keep it simple."